Improved projectile for rifled ordnance



B. B. HOTCHKISSJ Projectile.

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I Patented May 14, 1861..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

B. B. IIOTCHKISS, OF SHARON, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVED PROJECTILE FOR RIFLED ORD NANCE.

S cvilirntion forming part of Letters Patent No. 32,293, dated May 14,13131.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, B. B. Horoniirss, of Sharon, in the county ofLitchfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Projectiles for Bifled Ordnance, of which thefollowing is a full and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly insection of the projectile before firing; and Fig. 2 is a similar view ofthe shot after firing, showing the manner in which the several parts actone upon the other.

My invention relates to and is an improve. ment 011 the projectile shownin my patent dated July 24, 1860.

The nature of any invention consists in the arrangement of certainconical portions and certain cylindrical or nearly cylindrical 'portionsof the body of the shot in connection with the ring of softmeta-l, so asbetter to insure an easy and equal expansion thereof.

The nature of my invention also consists in the introduction of aquantity of lubricating material, either in mass or in the form ofsaturated fibrous material, immediately in front of the softmetal ring,so that as the latter is forced forward upon the body of the shot by theaction of the powder or other force, it compresses the formcr and forcesout-a portion of its substance, so as to lubricate the bore for thepassage of the shot. This insures the proper lubrication of the gun andprevents the tendency to lead the grooves, heretofore experienced to agreater or lesser extent in lead or other soft-metal belted expandingproj ectiles.

The nature of my invention also consists in the construction and use ofa projecting ring or flange on the rear end of the cap, finished to fitthe bore or lands of the gun, for the purpose of accurately guiding therear of the cap while the latter is being driven home upon the body, andof serving, in connection with the expanded soft-metal ring, to hold theshot with its axis coinciding with the axis of the gun while moving, andthereby insuring accuracy The nature of my invention also consists inwinding the soft-metal ring with tape or equivalent strips of cloth orother material in a spiral manner, so that the folds of cloth or tapeoverlap and permit the expansion of the ring without exposing anyportion of its surface to the interior of the gun, the cloth or tapeservto leave the projectile as soon as the latter emerges from themuzzle, and is prevented from exerting any injurious effect on theflight of the shot by reason of the resistance of the air.

In the drawings, A is the body of the shot with a conoidal point similarto ordinary elongated projectiles. The rear end of Ais smaller, and iscylindrical. Ashort incline or conical portion, B, unites thiscylindrical portion to the other, and a sharp projecting lip, C, extendsa short distance over B, as represented. The soft-metal ring D is fittedupon the cylindrical portion of A, as represented, and the space Ebetween that and the lip C is filledwith tallow, or with candle-wickingor other suitable substance soaked with. tallow or other lubricatingmaterial. The cap F is also fitted to slide over the cylindrical portionof A. Its front end is beveled both on the inner and outer sides, asrepresented, a projecting lip,'f, being formed on the outer bevel, f, asshown in the drawings. The action of this cap is to cut into the body ofthe soft-metal ring D and force it up the incline B against. the lip C,as is shown in Fig. 2. At the rear end of F is a slight projecting ringor flange, G, and this projecting part is accurately turned to fit thebore or lands of the gun, so that when placed in the barrel the wholeweight of the projectile is received upon the projecting ring G and thesoft-metal ring D. These being formed true and at a sufficient distanceapart hold the axis of the projectile in a line with the axis of the gunand insures the ejection of the balltin that position. L. Before I placethe ring D on the shot A, I wind it with tape or other suitablematerial, H, passing-the tape through the middle and around the outside,in the manner shown in Fig. 1, and allowing each successive coil of thetape to overlap the preceding a portion of its width. This forms a closeenvelope for the ring D, and allows the covering to so change its formthat the several coils spread as the ring expands, but still cover thewhole exterior by reason of the lapping of the coils.

This covering, when greased in the manner above explained, serves as apatch in an ordinary rifle to prevent any of the leaden particles fromsticking to the metal of the gun, or producing what is technicallycalled leading. 7 To prevent the possibility of this patch becomingragged, and by the action of the air thereon causing the shot to deviatefrom its true course, the lips O and f are made to cut into the ring D,and thereby sever the patch in such a manner that it is immediatelystripped from the projectile by the resistance of the air, on emergingfrom the gun. The patch does not leave the shot while in the gun, forthe reason that the friction against the surface of the gun is less thanthat required to slip it on the belt D, owing to the superior smoothnessof surface in the former and the action of the unguent E. As soon as theprojectile leaves the gun, however, there being nothing to confine thepatch to the ring D, it flies off by the action of the atmosphere.

The projectile is placed in the gun in the form represented by Fig. 1,with the cap F next the powder. When the latter is fired, the expansiveforce of the gas first acts on the cap F G, and, owing to the inertia ofA, drives the belt D forward, pushing out the grease E, and by theaction of the inclines B and f expanding the ring D, so as to cause itto fit the bore. The edge of the cap F and the projections 0 and f cutinto the substance of the belt D and bind it firmly to A and F, so thatit will not become separated therefrom in its flight. As soon as thebelt D has expanded sufficiently to fill the grooves, the cap F strikesthe body A of the projectile and prevents any further expansion of D.There is therefore no extra strain on the gun, as there always is if theexpansion of the soft-metal belt is unlimited. The action of theinclines or cones B and f on the soft-metal belt D is not so much toupset its substance as to increase its diameter, and as the tenacity ofsoft metal is much less than its resistance to crushing, it follows thatsuch action is more readily and surely performed than when the ring isupset.

It will be seen that the manner in which I cover or patch the belt D isnot equivalent to covering it in any manner previously known, because itallows the diameter of the belt to be increased to a considerable extentwithout straining the covering or uncovering any portion of the metal.

What I claim as my invention,'and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The arrangement of the inclined surfaces or cones, B and f, and thecylindrical portion a, in connection with the ring of soft meta-l, D,placed between B and f, substantially as and for'the purpose hereinspecified.

2. The employment of a quantity of lubricating material, E, withinproper recesses in the body of the projectile, and in front of the beltD, so arranged that a portion or the whole shall be forced out tolubricate the bore, by the action of the metal ring D, or itsequivalent, substantially as herein specified.

3. The employment of the projecting ring G, made to fit the bore of thegun, in combination with the cap F and belt 1), substantially as and forthe purpose herein set forth.

4. Covering the belt D with cloth or other suitable material, H, woundspirally thereon, substantially as and for the purpose above described.

5. Cutting the patch H, after the belt D has been sufficiently expandedby means of the lips O f, or their equivalents, substantially as and forthe purpose herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

. B. B. HOTCHKISS.

\Vitncsses:

THOMAS D. S'rn'rsox, (l. H. BABoocK.

